The present invention relates generally to printing features, for example photographs, on a medium such as a page or a computer screen. More particularly it relates to methods used for the selection of the next feature to be placed on the medium.
Recent hardware and software advancements have resulted in printers that can print photographic data from multiple photographs on single sheets of paper without the intermediate use of photographic film. When used herein as a noun, xe2x80x9cplacementxe2x80x9d means a rectangular region that represents a photograph or other item, a predefined gap between two placements, and any associated caption.
Typically placement of the photographs, with or without gaps and captions, on the page being arranged occurs in the order in which they appear in a predefined list. Each photograph is placed in order and orientation across the page in one row after another down the page. This approach does not attempt to optimize the placement of photographs in order to obtain a more efficient fit. Such linear placement algorithms often fall short by leaving large amounts of white space on the page.
Other attempts at placing photographs on a page often take into account only one significant attribute by which to make a decision regarding which is the best placement. For example, the largest photograph that will fit without wrapping onto the next row, or the photograph that leaves the smallest amount of space at the end of a row, are both reasonable methods to layout photographs. However, optimizing a single or a pair of attributes is not sufficient to fit a large variety of photographs tightly together. Such approaches fall short of being able to produce a page layout that reflects that which a human would do.
Without some means for equalizing white space, the printed page of photographs appears to have all images crowded into the upper left comer of the page. This problem can be partially addressed by increasing the page margins to leave more white space around the area of the photographs. Another technique is to increase the gap between photographs to show more white space. However, the overall page layout often does not appear balanced. Also, increasing the space between placements seriously limits the size of the photographs which can be placed on a given page.
Thus, for purposes of paper efficiency and aesthetics, there are needs for methods which provide for efficient placement of multiple photographs on a page, for selection of the photograph to be placed, and for equalization of white space in photographic placements.
The present patent document describes representative embodiments of methods for the efficient placement on a display medium or media of a set of placement items, for selecting a next item to be located on the medium, and for equalizing white space around multiple placement items. The methods described herein provide techniques for creating aesthetically pleasing layouts of the placement items which could be, for example, photographs with optional, associated gaps and captions. The medium used for display could be a page of paper or a computer screen. Either a single medium item or multiple items of a given type medium may be used.
Methods for the efficient location of placement items and for the selection of a next item to be located on the medium provide techniques for reducing the total number of medium items used to display the placement items, i.e., for reducing the total number of pages used to print a set of photographs. Methods for the equalization of white space around multiple placement items provide techniques for creating aesthetically pleasing layouts. Previous methods have been limited in both their abilities to efficiently utilize the available media and to create aesthetically pleasing displays.
Representative embodiments are based on the row oriented location of placement features. The next placement feature to be located is chosen based upon a weighted value which is created for each placement item. This weighted value is determined based upon several parameters which are related to the size and orientation of the placement item, as well as to the remaining space on the current row and on the current display medium. Should the placement item be too large, its orientation may be changed to match that of the display medium, and, if necessary, it may be reduced in size to fit within the boundaries of the display medium. White space is distributed uniformly between and within rows of placement features. The net result of using these techniques is the efficient and aesthetically pleasing location of placement items approximating that which a human being would do.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.